Burger Ranch Takes Over Burger King

The 55 Burger King fast food restaurants across Israel will soon be rebranded under the Israeli Burger Ranch chain, which will have a total of 107 fast food restaurants at the end of the change.

Orgad Holdings, the company that owns franchise rights to Burger King in Israel and is full owner of the Burger Ranch, announced the change on Sunday. 

Brothers Eli and Yuval Orgad, owners of the company, said taste tests and various trials conducted over recent months have shown unequivocally that the “Burger Ranch Bull” is the preferred brand in Israel. 

“We were very excited to learn that, for many Israelis, Burger Ranch is not just a hamburger, sauces and vegetables, but is also large bites of nostalgia. And for this, credit goes to the chain’s founders, who nurtured this brand with so much talent over so many years,” the Orgad brother said in a statement. 

General Jones Apologizes For Telling Jewish Joke

The room erupted in laughter after National Security Adviser James Jones told a Jewish joke last week to kick off his keynote address to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a pro-Israel organization.

But apparently not everyone in the room was amused – and by Monday, when the Israeli paper Haaretz published a story, a full-fledged international incident was born.

On Monday, Mr. Jones issued an apology. In addition, the White House created the appearance of scrubbing the books by not including the off-the-cuff joke in its official transcript of his remarks. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs denied any coverup. “It was obviously an on-camera speech,” he said, per Fox News. “There was no attempt to deceive.”

Israeli Arabs Flock To Turkey

There have been many recent reports on a consumer boycott in Israel against vacationing in Turkey, traditionally a popular destination during the Passover holiday.

It seems, however, that more Arab Israelis than ever are traveling to Turkey following a set of Turkish soap operas aired in Israel that are particularly popular in the sector. 

With estimates that Israelis have largely forgotten about various calls to stay away from Turkish vacation packages and reports of “business as usual”, not enough light has been shed on Arab Israeli vacation choices. It seems they are traveling to the neighboring country more than ever.

One of the main reasons for Arab Israelis’ preference for Turkey is economic. With high rates of unemployment and poverty in the sector, many seek out relatively inexpensive vacation deals. 

“The Arabs turn to Turkey because of the low prices, because there are good brands there, and because they get good value for their money,” said manager of Nazarine Tours, Ghanem Abu Seif to Ynet.

Congress Speaks-Up Regarding Obama – Netanyahu Rift

More than 250 members of Congress have signed on to a declaration reaffirming their commitment to “the unbreakable bond that exists between [U.S.] and the State of Israel”, in a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The letter was sent in the wake of the severe recent tensions between Israel and the U.S. over the prior’s decision to construct more than 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem, a project it announced during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to the region.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took advantage of his trip to the United States this week to try to mend the rift with the Obama administration, but he was greeted with cold welcome by the White House.

Netanyahu also met during his visit with members of Congress, who welcomed him with significantly more warmth.

The letter from Congress expresses its “deep concern” over the U.S.-Israel crisis, and emphasizes that lawmakers had received assurances from Netanyahu that the events leading up to the recent tensions would not be repeated.

Letter from members of Congress

Dear Secretary Clinton:

We are writing to reaffirm our commitment to the unbreakable bond that exists between our country and the State of Israel and to express to you our deep concern over recent tension. In every important relationship, there will be occasional misunderstandings and conflicts.

Annual Israel / Syria Crossing Of The Apples Underway

Some 10,000 tons of Israeli apples grown in Golan Heights orchards will be making their way across the Israeli-Syrian border over the next few months, en route to Syrian markets.

The apples were transported in a joint Red Cross-IDF operation, sanctioned by the Israeli and Syrian foreign ministries.

The operation, which began Tuesday, will see Kenyan Red Cross officers drive trucks brought in from Jordan, across the border.

The “crossing of the apples” is an annual event. First held in 2005, the operation takes place at the height of apple-picking season, between February and late April.

The shipments usually include Starking and Golden apples, but this year, the shipment also included Granny Smith apples. 

Some 30 apple trucks are expected to cross into Syria daily during the coming holiday season.

Ran Goldstein, spokesman for the Red Cross in Israel, said that the organization “was happy for the opportunity to deliver Golan Heights apples to Syria.

“We hope that humanitarian issues as well, like family reunifications, will also be facilitated soon.” 

An IDF force stationed at the Quneitra Border Crossing supervised the operation. A military statement said: “The apple export was conducted in accordance with government orders and a request to that effect by the Red Cross.”

Jimmy Carter Offers Jewish Community ‘Al Het’

Jimmy Carter asked the Jewish community for forgiveness for any stigma he may have caused Israel.

In a letter released exclusively to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the former U.S. president sent a seasonal message wishing for peace between Israel and its neighbors, and concluded: “We must recognize Israel’s achievements under difficult circumstances, even as we strive in a positive way to help Israel continue to improve its relations with its Arab populations, but we must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel. As I would have noted at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but which is appropriate at any time of the year, I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so.”

“Al Het” refers to the Yom Kippur prayer asking God forgiveness for sins committed against Him. In modern Hebrew it refers to any plea for forgiveness.

Carter has angered some U.S. Jews in recent years with writings and statements that place the burden of peacemaking on Israel, that have likened Israel’s settlement policies to apartheid, and that have blamed the pro-Israel lobby for inhibiting an evenhanded U.S. foreign policy.

Abraham Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League’s national director, welcomed the statement, calling it the “beginning of reconciliation.”

“We welcome any statement from a significant individual such as a former president who asks for Al Het,” Foxman said. “To what extent it is an epiphany, time will tell. There certainly is hurt which needs to be repaired.”

Woman Saved After Swallowing Dreidle

A 30-year-old woman from central Israel, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was saved from the brink of death on Thursday after a dreidle was removed from her throat.

According to MDA paramedic Doron Margittai who arrived at the scene, “We found the woman in her bed in critical condition. She was unconscious and in cardiac arrest. As we began to treat her, we noticed that a small plastic dreidle was caught in her vocal cords.”

The MDA team, which also included paramedic Yoni Lumer, managed to pull out the dreidle, stabilized the patient and evacuated her to Wolfson Hospital in Holon in moderate condition with stable vital signs.

House Of Representatives Overwhelmingly Condemns The Goldstone Report

The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to condemn the Goldstone report.

The vote urged the Obama administration to keep the report accusing Israel and Hamas of war crimes in last winter’s Gaza war from advancing through the United Nations system, passed 344 to 36 with 22 voting “present.”

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which lobbied hard for the non-binding resolution, said it “strongy applauds” its passing.

“Congress is sending a strong message that the United States will not agree to turn the victim into the perpetrator,” AIPAC said.

The vote comes on the eve of debate on the report in the U.N. General Assembly; the report has already been endorsed by the U.N. Human Rights Council.

The resolution “calls on the President and the Secretary of State to continue to strongly and unequivocally oppose any endorsement of the `Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict’ in multilateral fora, including through leading opposition to any United Nations General Assembly resolution and through vetoing, if necessary, any United Nations Security Council resolution that endorses the contents of this report.” 

The resolution was introduced by U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the senior Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), its chairman.

Madonna Takes ‘Sticky & Sweet’ To Israel

The Material Girl has opened a visit to the Holy Land with a spiritual touch.

Madonna headed to Jerusalem’s Old City late Sunday where she toured an ancient tunnel near the Western Wall – the holiest site where Jews can pray.

The 50-year-old pop star arrived in a black Mercedes van and was escorted into the tunnel by police. She made no comment to reporters and was whisked away about a half hour later.

Madonna isn’t Jewish (yet), but she’s a follower of Jewish mysticism and has even taken the Hebrew name Esther.

She arrived in the country for a pair of concerts in Tel Aviv that will close out her Sticky & Sweet Tour.  It will be her first performance in Israel since 1993, though she came on private pilgrimages in 2004 and 2007.

Madonna is also set to meet oppositon leader Tzipi Livni and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during her visit.

Those joining Madonna on her trip include actress Demi Moore and her husband actor Ashton Kutcher as well as singer Justin Timberlake.

Israeli Entertainer Dudu Topaz Found Dead In Jail

Dudu Topaz, once Israeli television’s most popular star, has been found dead in his jail cell, prison officials said.

The 62-year-old entertainer was discovered hanging in the shower of his cell and paramedics were unable to revive him, according to a statement from Israel’s Prison Services.

Local media reported that Topaz — who was awaiting trial — had been on suicide watch after attempting to take his own life earlier this summer.

Once a household name across Israel for a decades-long career as an actor and host for popular variety shows, Topaz was arrested in late May on suspicion of arranging assaults against three people.

Three others were also arrested in connection with the alleged attacks. The victims included television executives and a talent agent that had recently represented Topaz.

Police charged that Topaz hired thugs to attack the victims because they had snubbed his attempts at a show business comeback.

Israel’s Prison Services said that an investigation of the circumstances of Topaz’s death is forthcoming.

For more information: http://alindenauer.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/has-been-tv-star-in-very-deep-dudu/